Anonymous, San Francisco Possibly 2009 - 2010

This photograph, 'Anonymous, San Francisco' was taken by Katy Grannan. The high contrast of light and shadow gives the image a painterly quality. The composition focuses on the texture of the materials; the rough stucco of the wall, the soft fur of the stole and the sheer fabric of the skirt. The skirt pools around her, a dark, almost abstract mass, anchoring the composition. Look at the way the light catches the hairs in the fur stole, they seem to glow against the shadow that obscures the woman's face. This shadow makes her anonymous, but it also makes her universal. The shadow is like a gestural mark in a painting, a sweep of tone that suggests more than it shows. Grannan’s approach to photography shares something with that of Nan Goldin. They both create intimate and empathetic portraits, revealing the beauty and vulnerability of their subjects. And like all good art, the meaning of this image is open to interpretation.